"Home is behind, the world ahead…"

May 1, 2013June 18, 2014

Pole-tastic Endeavors

Monday marked my fourth and final pole fitness class with my best friend. I’m having withdrawals already just because of the fact that they were such great workouts… not only were we working our legs and abs, but DAMN, you need to have killer upper arm strength to lift all your weight up while scaling poles.

And no, this is not a blog post to show off my attempts at being promiscuous, risque, crazy, sexy, etc. “Pole dancing” is often looked at with a negative stereotype, but our generation is moving more and more toward this new trend as a type of art– freedom of expression, routine and culture. I’ve always, always, always been a fan of any visual arts/dance, and this is no exception. I’ve been dying to take pole fitness/dancing classes since UCSB, and this was finally my chance.

Needless to say, I’m now addicted. I’m trying to convince my dad to install a pole in my room (yes, I’m leaving in six months, but think about how great of a workout it would be on a daily basis if I had it).

There are multiple sources online that back up my support for pole fitness. It’s becoming socially acceptable to partake in this, and every time I get an iffy or condescending look from someone about this, I fight to vouch for the benefits of it. It truly is an INTENSE workout that leaves you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and so empowered. Especially for females, pole dancing is a beautiful way to express yourself freely without the constraints of being in a structured routine. As a huge fan of self-expression, I encourage anyone to try this and see just how amazing it feels to realize that you have what it takes to support your entire body with only your legs or arms. It’s also a great learning opportunity; I think everyone who takes these classes will see just how challenging it is to pole dance. I have immense loads of respect for anyone who does this for a living, since it’s not easy.